The Jaguars might be on the verge of changing their offensive identity.

Noted as a running team during coach Jack Del Rio's first six years, the Jaguars showed Sunday that they can rout a team by relying almost exclusively on the passing game.

When they jumped to a 27-3 halftime lead en route to a 37-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans, the Jaguars had 25 passes and just nine runs in the first half.

Two of those runs were scrambles by quarterback David Garrard, so the Jaguars called 27 passes to seven runs.

They piled up 203 passing yards in the first half, compared to 67 rushing yards. Maurice Jones-Drew, the Jaguars' featured runner, had four carries for 12 yards in the first half and finished with 14 yards on six carries.

The Jaguars used the passing strategy because Tennessee's strength is its rushing defense.

"I think they're as good as any team at fitting the run, at being good upfront," Del Rio said. "People that have tried to run it against them have not had a lot of success. We put a plan together to attack them and to score points to win the game."

The plan was to feature the pass.

In posting back-to-back AFC South victories, the Jaguars showed they can pound a team that is weak against the pass the same way they can pound a team that is weak against the run.

On Sept. 27 in Houston, against a Texans team ranked 29th against the run, the Jaguars ran 31 times for 184 times and passed 30 times for 214 yards,

The Titans came in ranked second against the run and 29th against the pass, so the Jaguars exploited their pass defense, especially because the Titans were ailing in the secondary.

Del Rio said the Jaguars now have an "explosive element" in their passing game.

"We spent the offseason working on it," he said.

The Jaguars remade their receiver corps, signing veteran Torry Holt and drafting Mike Thomas, and they've played major roles. Receiver Mike Sims-Walker and tight end Marcedes Lewis have both stepped up.

The result is that quarterback David Garrard has a better receiving corps than he did last year. Four of their receivers from last year, Reggie Williams, Matt Jones, Jerry Porter and Dennis Northcutt, didn't return. Williams, Jones and Porter aren't even in the league.

The Jaguars strengthened their offensive line by signing veteran tackle Tra Thomas and drafting Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton. Both Vince Manuwai and Mo Williams returned from injuries that sidelined them in the opener last year.

The result is that they have more depth in the line. When Monroe, who is ill and lost 14 pounds, and Britton, who has a knee injury, were sidelined Sunday, the Jaguars didn't miss a beat.

Thomas filled in for Monroe. Williams moved into Britton's spot at right tackle, and Uche Nwaneri moved into Williams' right guard position.

Garrard, who was sacked just twice, had time to throw, and he had receivers who were getting open. "To have those passes off the run game is huge because it really makes the defense play it honest," Garrard said.

The Jaguars' next four foes - Seattle, St. Louis, Tennessee and Kansas City - have a combined 1-15 record. Seattle is 1-3, and the other three teams are 0-4.

The Jaguars are being cautious, because they were 3-3 last year when they faced three losing teams - Cleveland, Cincinnati and Detroit. Just when they were looking at going 6-3, they lost to the Browns and Bengals. They beat Detroit but wound up losing eight of their final 10 games to finish 5-11.

Jones-Drew said the team has learned its lesson from last year, when it thought it could "walk all over those teams."

Seattle's defense is in the middle of the pack, ranked 16th overall, 20th against the run and 17th against the pass, so there's not an obvious area for the Jaguars to attack the way there was the past two weeks.

"Our focus is going to be on getting ourselves ready to play," Del Rio said. "The guys will be getting their minds acclimated to how Seattle is going to attack us and what they're going to do defensively and what we'll do offensively."

Garrard said this season is starting to feel like 2007, when the Jaguars went 11-5.

The '07 team was noted for its closeness in the locker room, and "We're working at it [to develop it again]," Del Rio said. "As I've said, it's a very committed group working hard, so we'll see. It's early."

It's hard to soar with the eagles when you're working with a bunch of turkeys

44 points

dafish

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 @ 8:59 pm

this year will be different because no one expects anything from them, but I have to agree with gatordavis. These are the games that we'd lose because one or two guys get lit in a bar on Saturday night. I want to think this team is different, won't support them any less, but the trademark of the Del Rio Jags is we lose the games we are supposed to win and win the ones we are supposed to lose. What helps here is we're playing Seattle who is trying to find their way with a backup QB, new coach, new receivers, and a shot kicker. I think we see another shootout in Jacksonville's favor 35-24.

It's hard to soar with the eagles when you're working with a bunch of turkeys

Del Rio is notorious for not having his team ready to play in games like we have this coming Sunday in Seattle. Its a long trip to Seattle, and its a hostile environment. We need to be prepared and motivated.